CONTRIBUTORS
The unsung workforce helping children thrive NAOMI HOWELLS, Managing Director at Class People,
discusses how healthy habits shape children and stronger school communities.
When we think about healthy eating in children, conversations often focus on packed lunches, school meals and nutrition policies. And rightly so. A healthy diet plays a fundamental role in children’s physical development, concentration, emotional regulation and readiness to learn. Yet perhaps we spend less time recognising the people quietly helping children build these healthy habits every single day. Across schools and nurseries, there is an often-unsung workforce supporting children not
only to eat well, but to thrive. From nursery practitioners encouraging independence at mealtimes, to teaching assistants noticing when a child may be struggling, lunchtime supervisors helping children navigate busy dining halls, and pastoral teams recognising when behaviour may reflect something deeper, these professionals play an important role in shaping children’s wellbeing.
Healthy eating in education is about far more than nutrition. It is about confidence, routine, independence and helping children feel ready for school life.
The evidence is clear that nutrition matters. Research from the Education Endowment Foundation found that access to breakfast clubs can support improved educational outcomes, with some children making the equivalent of two months’ additional progress in reading, writing and maths over the course of a year. Studies also suggest that improved nutrition positively supports concentration, behaviour and engagement in learning.
However, healthy habits are not built through policy alone. They are built through trusted relationships and consistent encouragement. This becomes particularly important when we consider school readiness. Recent findings from the Kindred Squared found that 37% of children starting Reception were not considered school-ready, while 28% were unable to eat and drink independently. This is where nurseries and early years settings deserve greater recognition.
In nurseries across the country, practitioners are helping children develop important life skills long before they reach the classroom. Encouraging children to pour drinks, use cutlery confidently, sit socially at mealtimes, make healthy choices and tidy away independently may appear small, but these experiences help children transition more confidently into school environments, including the often-overwhelming experience of the school dining hall.
A child who feels confident managing routines, making choices and engaging socially at lunchtime is often better prepared emotionally and practically for school life.
The impact of this preparation extends beyond children alone. At a time when schools continue to face recruitment and retention challenges, perhaps there is an overlooked conversation worth having. Much of the discussion around workforce pressures rightly focuses on workload, funding and wellbeing. However, healthier, more school- ready children can also contribute to calmer, more positive learning environments. Children supported with healthy diets, routines and independence from an early age are often better equipped to regulate emotions, engage positively and adapt to classroom expectations, factors that can support the day-to-day experience of educators. Healthy eating alone will not solve workforce challenges in education. But if healthier, more confident and school-ready children help create environments where learning can flourish, then healthy habits and early years development should form part of the wider conversation around building schools where both pupils and staff thrive. Behind every child confidently navigating a lunch hall or feeling ready to learn, there is often a hidden hero, and perhaps it is time this workforce receives the recognition it truly deserves.
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www.education-today.co.uk
Transforming SEND support – or over-stretching the system?
EMMA SANDERSON, Managing Director of Momenta Connect, part of Outcomes First Group, considers the ‘Experts at Hand’ model.
The Schools White Paper Every Child Achieving and Thriving introduces a potentially transformative idea for SEND provision: ‘Experts at Hand’. The concept is simple but
powerful; schools should have direct, timely access to specialist expertise such as educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, and occupational therapists, without the delays and bureaucracy that currently characterise the system. For school leaders, this signals a clear shift in direction. The ambition is to move away from a model where support is unlocked only after lengthy assessment, towards one where expertise is available earlier, more flexibly, and with a stronger focus on inclusion within mainstream settings. There is much to welcome here.
First, the emphasis on early intervention reflects what we know improves outcomes. Too often, support arrives only when needs have escalated to crisis point. Enabling specialists to step in earlier offers a chance to prevent difficulties from becoming entrenched, potentially reducing the number of pupils requiring intensive or specialist placements.
Second, the model could amplify the impact of specialist expertise. Much of this capacity is currently absorbed by statutory assessment processes. If Experts at Hand succeeds in redirecting time towards direct work with pupils and staff, it could strengthen classroom practice. Specialists working alongside teachers, modelling strategies, shaping interventions, and building confidence, could have a multiplier effect across the school.
Third, the proposal supports stronger inclusion in mainstream education. Embedding expertise within schools encourages a more adaptive, responsive approach to teaching. For leaders, this offers a more coherent way to meet diverse needs without defaulting to separation. However, success of this vision will depend heavily on execution, and there are significant barriers to consider. The most immediate challenge is capacity. Specialist services are already under pressure, with long waits and workforce shortages. Without substantial and sustained investment in training and recruitment, there is a risk that Experts at Hand becomes a limited resource, available in principle but constrained in practice, with leaders competing for scarce expertise.
There is also the issue of local variability. The model relies on coordination between schools, local authorities, and health services. In reality, these systems vary widely in capacity and coherence. Some areas may develop strong, integrated offers; others may struggle to deliver consistent support. This creates a risk of uneven implementation, with outcomes depending as much on geography as on need.
A further concern is the potential for a two-tier system. If clearer entitlements remain tied to statutory plans while other pupils rely on more flexible, but less enforceable, support, some children could fall through the gaps. School leaders may need to take on a stronger advocacy role to ensure equitable access.
Finally, access to experts alone will not drive change without a cultural shift within schools. Impact will depend on how well staff engage with and apply specialist input. Leaders will need to prioritise collaboration, professional learning, and structures that translate expertise into everyday practice.
In essence, Experts at Hand is a compelling and necessary reform, offering a more proactive, inclusive approach. But it is not a silver bullet. The challenge for leaders will be to embrace the opportunity while navigating the practical realities, ensuring its promise becomes a meaningful part of every pupil’s experience.
June 2026
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